Shoe structure



1 Feb., 1, 1938. c. F, RoHN ET AL SHOE STRUCTURE Fi-led Oct. 4, 1935 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 1, 193s f 2,107,129

UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE SHO-E STRUCTURE Chester F. Rohn and Franklyn A. Rohn, Mil- Waukee, Wis.

Application October 4, 1935, Serial No. 43,546

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-71) The present invention relates in general to imnoy the wearer, the brace being either attached provements in the art of manufacture of foot to or detached from the insole.

wear, and relates more specifically to improve- Another specific object of the invention is to ments in the construction of shoes having arch provide an instep support which may be formed 5 bracing or supporting means built therein. of any suitable bracing material, including leath- Generally defined, an objectA of the present iner but not necessarily so, which need not be divention is to provide an improved shoe strucrectly attached to the insole either prior or subture wherein the instep or arch portion of the sequent to the lasting operation. wearers foot is effectively braced or supported. A further specinc object of the invention is to Numerous types of instep or arch supports have provide a durable and effective arch supporting 10 heretofore been proposed. In one type of these structure which can be readily applied to various previous arch supports, the insole is provided styles and types of foot wear at slight additional with an integral side flap which, during lasting cost. y of the shoe, is bent upwardly and nally either Still another specific object of the invention is confined between the adjacent side of the vamp to provide a new and useful arch brace for Welt 15 and inner lining, or permitted to lie exposed shoes, which can be embodied in a shoe assemagainst the inner surface of the lining, This blage without unusual difculty, and without comtype of construction has the disadvantages of replicating the attachment of the vamp lining and quiring a large and wasteful piece of leather in welt to the inseam ridge of the insole.

- the formation of the insole with a flap; and if These and other objects and advantages of the 20 the leather iiap which forms the arch support is present invention Will be eline-rent from the folnally disposed between the outer leather and lowing detailed description, the lining it is not visible in the completed shoe A clear conception of several embodiments of for sales purposes, whereas location of the flap the present improvement, and of the mode of in visible position within the shoe necessitates constructing shoes having the new eroh brace 25 cementing and frequently produces curling and applied therein, may be had by referring to the distortion of the support, thereby causing andrawing accompanying and forming a part of noyance to the wearer. In orderto obviate the this specication wherein like reference charhigh cost of insole construction and the waste of acters designate the Same or Similar parts in the leather due to such integral insole and flap forvarious views. 30 mation, it'has also been proposed to form the in- Fig- 1 iS e Central longitudinal Section through sole and arch support as separate pieces and to e Inails Shoe of the Welt type, showing a Dorsew or otherwise attach the nap either to the intion of the inner pocket which normally connes seam ridge or to the edge of the insole prim` to the arch brace, broken away to reveal the brace;

the lasting operation. These modified types of Fg- 2 iS e tranSVeISe Section 'through the in- -35 arch supporting flaps were also disposed either Sien portion of the Shoe Shown in Fig- 1, the Seewithin or at the outside of the inner lining, and tion heVing been taken along the line 22;

while they do result in reduction in cost of con- Fig. 3 is a similar Section through a modified struction, they are also objectionable for'the sev- ShoeStruCule; and

40 eral other reasons above noted. It has moreover Fie 4 iS an internal Dian VieW of the upper Shoe 40 been proposed to utilize a separate arch support Structure before lasting. initially inserted between the outer leather and While the invention has been illustrated herethe lining, and subsequently attached Vto the inin as being applied i0' a mam-S Shoe 0f a Particusole and welt, durin'g'the lasting operation, but lar type 1t s not intend@ to the'eby TCSirllCi this type of structure likewise fails to reveal the the Scope smc-e the Improvement 1S obviously; 45

more generally applicable to mens high shoes fact that the completed shoe has an arch brace f embodied therein, so that all of" the prior arch or to Womens and Chlldrens shoes of au types ,i having either nailed, sewed'or cemented soles. supporting structures are relatively objectionable Referring to the drawing, the improved shoe for one reason 0r anothfrstructure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has been formed 50 It is therefore a specific object of the present from an upper Structure of the type' Shown in Fig invention to provide an improved arch brace ci, and comprises in general an upper composed for shoes or the like, wherein the bracing flap is of outer leather 6 and having a 'lining 1 and suitconiined within a pocket which is visible from able reenforcements interposed between these within the completed shoe but which cannot anparts; an insole 8 having a continuous inseam 55 ridge 9 normally projecting downwardly therefrom; a partial or a continuous welt I secured to the leather 6, lining 1 and inseam ridge 9 by means of inseam stitching II; an outsole I2 secured to the welt III in any suitable or desirable manner; cushioning or filling means disposed between the insole 8 and outsole I2 within the inseam ridge 9; and heel structure secured to the rear portion of the outsole I2 in any suitable manner.

As shown in Fig. 4, the outer leather '6 of the vamp is composed of a forepart which may or may not be provided with a separate tip, and two rear quarters I3 sewed together and to the side and rear edges of the forepart and having lacing eyelets III associated therewith. The lining 1 is composed of a cloth vamp lining, and leather quarter linings I5 seWed together and 'to the forepart lining; and the assembled lining 1 is initially secured to the outer leather 6 by stitching I6 which also applies the tongue I1 so as to form the normal vamp.r Intermediate padding I8 may also be provided between the outer leather 6 and lining 1; and the heel portion of the vamp may be reenforced by a counter I9 While the toe portion may be likewise reenforced by means of a stiiener 20. rThe type of stiifener customarily used is formed of composition having the characteristic of becoming limp and pliable when moist, and of becoming relatively f'lrm or stiff and hard when dry; and the counter I9 and stiffener 20 are normally sewed in place by the inseam stitching II, but leather or other sheet material may be used in the stiffener 20.

In accordance With one embodiment of the present improvement, the vamp and quarter linings are additionally provided `at the instep or arch portion of each shoe, with a leather or cloth-pocket 2| sewed to the inner side of the vamp and quarter linings by stitching 22, either before or after these linings are secured to the outer leather 6, but before lasting. Y An arch bracing pad or flap 23 formed either of leather, or of material similar to that described in connection with the stiiiener 20, or of other suitable material, may be trimmed and loosely inserted Within the pocket 2l as indicated in Fig. 4 to complete the lining assemblage. The bracing flap 23 may be thinned at its edges so as vto facilitate inseaming and to avoid projections and irregularities within the completed shoe, but either the brace confining pocket 2I or the brace itself, are preferably clearly and directly visible in order to indicate upon casual inspection, that the shoe structure is in fact provided withan arch brace.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the instep bracing iiap 23 is of sufficient size to project outwardly at the lining at least to the same extent'as the outer leather 6, lining 1 and pocket 2|,Yso that when the shoe is being subsequently lasted, the flap 23 will also besewed to the inseam ridge 9 with the welt I0, leather 6, lining 1, counter I9, stiiiener 20, and pocket 2|- by means of the inseam stitching II. As illustrated in Fig. 3, however, the bracing flap 23 has been cut short enough so that this iiap is not actually penetrated by the inseam stitching I I. The flaps 23, 23 when applied to the pockets 2I just prior to the lasting operation, are preferably moistened so as to make them suiiiciently pliable to insure smooth formation of the adjacent last portions during lasting, and to permit convenient stapling and subsequent sewing or application of the stitching I I.

The cushioning or iilling means which is disposed between the insole 8 and the outsole I2 may be either rubber, cork, felt, or any other suitable filling material, and comprises a main filler 24v and an auxiliary heel cushion 25 disposed beneath the heel portion of the main filler 24 and within a spacer 26. A shank stiffener 21 may also be applied between the filler 24 and the outsole I2 in front of the spacer 26, and the outsole I2 may be secured to the welt I0 either by sewing or cementing in a well known manner. The heel structure may also be of any desired type, and as shown, the heel comprises a heel base 28 cemented to the heel portion of the outsole I2, and a lower heel 29 cemented and additionally secured to the heel base 28 by pegs 30.

While the mode of constructing the improved shoes should be clearly apparent from the foregoing description, the preferable method of assembling the structure will be briefly described. The upper structure is completed as shown in Fig. 4, and the bracing flap 23 after having been treated to make thesame pliable, is inserted Within the concealing and confining pocket 2 I. After the insole 8 has been applied to the last, the edges of the upper structure and of the various reenforcements may be temporarily secured to the inseam ridge 8 with local staples, and upon application of the welt IIJ, the inseam stitching I I may be applied to fasten the welt I0, outer leather 6,

inner lining 1, counter I9, toe stiffener 20 and pocket 2I to the insole 8. If a bracing flap 23Y such as shown in Fig. 2 is employed, this flap will also be attached to the insole during the inseaming operation; but if a fiap 23 such as shown in Fig. 3 is utilized, there will be no direct attachment of the brace to the insole. Upon completion of the inseaming operation and subsequent trimming, the iiller 24, pad 25 andspacer 26'may be next applied, after which the outsole I2 and the heel may be secured in place in a well known manner. The arch bracing pad 23, 23 upon drying, becomes relatively stiff, and provides an effective support for the instep without danger of curling by virtue of the confinement thereof within the pocket 2|.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved arch brace for either mens, womens or childrens shoes of all types, which can be readily applied, and the presence of which is noticeable in the completed shoe structure. Although the confining pockets 2I are visible for sales purposes, the coniined pads or flaps 23, 23 cannot curl or become displaced after the shoes are completed, and no cement is required in order to hold the brace in position. The improved brace is applicable to shoes having only a partial welt or none at all, and in unlined shoes the arch brace may be attached directly to the outer leather either with or Without utilizing a confining pocket. The improvement also eliminates necessity of attaching an arch support to the insole before the lasting operation, and provides a completed shoe structure of extremely neat and highly finished appearance. The material used in the confining pocket 2I also aids the pad 23 in providing a support at the arch, and in some cases the pad 23 may be dispensed'with by utilizing relatively stili' material in the formation of the pocket 2 I. The improvement has proven highly successful in actual use, and the use of composition sheet material in forming the flaps 23, 23 has been found advantageous over the use of ordinary leather, although leather or other sheet material may be used.

It should be understood that it is not desiredv to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of manufacture, herein shown and described, for various modications Within the scope of the appended claim may occur to persons skilled in the art.

We claim:-

In a shoe, upper structure comprising outer leather and an inner lining loosely engaging the interior of said leather at the arch portion of the shoe, a pocket pad visible from Within the shoe and being secured along its upper edge to the interior of said lining to form a substantially semicircular pocket at said arch portion, a relatively stii bracing pad having a substantially semicircular skived upper edge portion loosely conned and freely movable Within said pocket between said lining and pad and having a lower substantially straight edge at the open end of said pocket, an insole having an inseam ridge, a welt, and common securing means for fastening said welt, said outer material, said lining, and said pocket to said inseam ridge.

CHESTER F. ROHN.

FRANKLYN A. ROHN. 

